Events 2010

Three Study Meetings in Canterbury

Early in 2007, a group of people in the East Kent area began to meet to discuss the creation of a Millennium Trust Group, based upon the study of perennial wisdom, drawing members from Canterbury, Dover and the surrounding towns and villages. For some, the concept of perennial philosophy has re-awakened old aspirations and the insights and enthusiasms of youth. Others have experienced an arousal of curiosity, even recognition, leading towards the possibilities of a deeper understanding. But many have no idea at all of what perennial wisdom is or what it offers.

The Trust therefore continues to hold informal meetings and discussions with people of like minds, while at the same time beginning regular meetings to study and explore the subject of perennial philosophy. Groups will begin meeting this Autumn. So as to enable people of all ages to attend, one group will be held during the day and another in the evening.  It is intended that these study meetings will include an exploration of the practical spiritual practices that perennial philosophy requires.  For latest details of these groups, please contact Ronald Lello by emailing  him at ronald@millenniumtrust.co.uk  , telephoning 01303 813 140 or writing to The Millennium Trust, Grove House, Sellindge, Kent TN25 6JX.

People of all ages, of any creed or none will be welcome. 

Events 2011
        

Italian Conference:

Todi, Umbria, Italy,  April 2011

PROPOSAL and INVITATION

We are proposing to hold a three day symposium in Todi, central Italy, between 14^th and 21^st  April 2011. We invite all Millennium friends in the UK, in Italy and India and elsewhere to attend and offer papers, paintings, perform music and poetry – indeed present anything that illuminates or contributes to the understanding of the symposium's theme. The title below is a suggestion, a basis which can be evolved.  The theme must reflect the philosophia perennis  because that lies at the heart of Millennium Trust.  And it has to centre upon a subject to which participants from a wide range of traditions and learning can contribute. We want a subject that can be illuminated not just by words but by the arts and other wordless sources of metaphor. It has to be relevant to the world now while reflecting our mission to realise truth and freedom in the world and ourselves. For the most part we find that truth is veiled and freedom is curtailed. Yet metaphor using curtailed and veiled idioms can be so potent, reminding us all to realise our real stature and our true nature?                                                             

What might have been is an abstraction,                                                                                                              Remaining a perpetual possibility                                                                                                                                Only in a world of speculation.                                                                                                                                   What might have been and what has been                                                                                                                 Point to one end, which is always present                                            T.S. Eliot, Burnt Norton                                                       

We are hoping that you will respond to this invitation with your ideas about the suggested subject so that it can develop and evolve before we extend this invitation to a wider audience.  And without necessarily making a firm commitment, we would be grateful if you would indicate your interest in coming to Italy next April. With some idea about how many are interested we can better negotiate residential costs etc. In particular , a few minutes from Todi's outer  walls, a beautiful old monastery now divided into apartments, might be available were sufficient number of people interested.    

A longer 'reflection' follows, indicating how we have reached this point of consideration. Thank you very much for reading this and I look forward to hearing from you,

Ronald Lello

Project Co-ordinator

ronald@millenniumtrust.co.uk

A SYMPOSIUM IN ITALY

THE AWAKENING POWER OF METAPHOR

Myth, Symbol and Allegory Awakening Truth and Freedom inHuman Kind

'Myths are messages of a metaphysical kind. They are allegorical and artistic expressions. To try to look for history in them is a fruitless exercise. Each culture creates its own myths. They are similar because they are all human. There is no particular body of myth deposited anywhere, but conditions giving rise to similar myths do abound in different places . . . Myth helps to clear away the sheath of ignorance'

       HH Sri Shantanand Saraswati

"I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.

                                                                                                                                                          Joel 2: 28

It is one of the prime errors of historical and rational analysis to suppose that the 'truth' and 'original form' of a legend can be separated from its miraculous elements. It is in the marvels themselves, that the truth inheres: "Wonder – for this is no other than the very beginning of philosophy."

               Ananda Coomaraswamy on Plato's Theætetus 1550

A brief reflection on "The Awakening Power of Metaphor"

The Millennium Calendar indicated that it was time to prepare for our next conference. Since the mid 1990's Millennium Trust has organised a series of international conferences in India and here at Grove House in Sellindge, Kent. We have been given generous hospitality in Delhi, Kolkata, Vrindavan, and Jaipur.  In an atmosphere of good company, professors and paupers, distinguished diplomats and housewives, businessmen, teachers, writers, dancers, artists, musicians, singers, religious leaders and philosophers - even broadcasters and journalists – all have sat together for a few days under an umbrella called The Millennium Trust. Buddhists, Hindus and Vedantists, Christians, Jews, Muslims and Sufis, scientists, economists, the certain and the not so certain, all have contributed towards an understanding that the All and the One are in Unity. Under the Millennium umbrella, understanding has grown and has inspired audiences large and small. In Kolkata over 400 people attended to participate. Here in Kent, inevitably, smaller gatherings are accommodated to discuss away the noonday and the midnight oil. What arises in moments at such gatherings is Spirit – and from Spirit goodness flows and fosters the hearts and minds of all who are connected with a system of understanding which is perennial wisdom.

The Lello's spend 10 days in Italy in March, seeing old friends and very old places. Hovering in the Lello mind is the possibility of arranging a conference or seminar in Italy before our next overseas conference in India as well as formulating a new concept that Millennium Trust can develop a theme for lectures and events over the next few years. The one qualification is that the concept must explore within the principles of philosophia perennis..

In Italy the challenge for the Lello mind is to find sufficient precision and clarity within, so as to identify what sounds so compelling without. Lello is convinced that by enjoying Italian hospitality, including it's food and wine, while on Italian earth under Italian sun, he stands a better chance of perceiving what seems so elusive here in Kent in the cold and grey of home. One thought is to do something in Rome, with possible nods towards Plotinus (who lived there for 40 years) but Lello finds that while Rome is a monumental city bright with past glory, it is difficult to hear the small still voice of human kind within its boundaries. The people of Rome are warm and welcoming, generous and most endearing, but Lello cannot find in this great city – heart; his or Rome's. In Rome he feels as if he is swimming and if he stops swimming he has a very long way to sink before touching something firm and reliable and even then he doesn't like the light shining so far above his head.

Driving some one and a half hours north of Rome brings the traveller to Umbria and the hill town of Todi (pronounced 'o' as in hot toddy  and not 'o' as in soap) and the relief from monumental glory is palpable.  Todi with it's Etruscan, Roman and medieval walls, is perched high on a hill around which the Tiber winds itself. It commands magnificent views across valleys and plains to hills and mountains. It is close to Assisi, Perugia and Orvietto. It has easy travel connections and cheap flights can be taken to Perugia which is about 15 miles away. Approaching Todi from any direction, one looks up to the inspiring church, firmly seated on the highest point and then begins the ascent: either snaking up the hillside or running Roman style in a direct, breath-taking and unbelievably steep line to the outer wall and then on to the Piazza del Popolo which is centred in the heart of the town.

Todi's history and vitality, Umbrian to late Renaissance, is evident everywhere. Its buildings, of soft grey 'travertine' stone, topped with red roofs and set against clear blue skies, gives Todi an unforgettable beauty.  Here the Absolute does not appear so distant and the human scale becomes the measure. It is an environment conducive to both discussion and reflection and the still small voice can be heard in morning meditation.

Happily, amongst other kind services,  our friends introduce us to the Director of the Museum located in the Piazza del Popolo and the Director of the Biblioteque, both of whom offer us venues for a conference. It seems that The Commune di Todi is pleased to welcome anyone who wants to discuss philosophy within it's walls. A wide range of accommodation is available and we are currently negotiating prices. Could there be a better way of spending a few days next April or a better place?

Seated in winter sunshine sipping coffee and cognac amidst architecture of superb proportion incorporating the greatest ideals of medieval Europe, Lello begins to wonder (Fellini style) about such a conference and what might be discussed. In particular, questions of appearances and realities – what communicates and fosters and what disguises and dissolves? What is it that awakens the mind and heart of mankind?

After another coffee and cognac, Lello realises that Italy melts hearts. Surveying life moving in the blue light of the early Italian Spring, he realises that this world is full of appearances, shadows and images. Metaphor is everywhere and especially evident in Italy. Not only in paintings and sculpture, in architecture and music, not just in poetry or words of wisdom, but also in events befalling us minute by minute. In the Piazza while the world is our teacher nothing is finally quite what it at first it appears to be. Can the Truth be told or is the Truth always a story until it is known?

Thomas Traherne wrote, ' . . . Your enjoyment of the world is never right until you  . . look upon the skies, the earth and the air as celestial joys'.   St Bernard wrote, 'What I know of the divine sciences and Holy Scriptures, I learnt in the woods and field.' And again 'Trees and stones will teach thee more than thou canst acquire from the mouth of a magister.'

And in Eliot's Rose Garden:

    Words move, music moves                                                                                                                                      Only in time; but that which is only living                                                                                                                  Can only die. Words after speech, reach                                                                                                                     Into the silence. Only by the form, the pattern,                                                                                                           Can words or music reach                                                                                                                                          The stillness, as a Chinese jar still                                                                                                                            Moves perpetually in its stillness.

 The perpetual fallacy is to think that one can stand apart from Truth so as to describe it when in fact we dwell in Truth – there is nowhere else to dwell. Appearances may teach this understanding or can deceive us so as to divide us from Truth. What finally presents itself to linger in the mind in the Café  in the Piazza del Popolo is the question of why is it that when we attempt to describe Truth in direct terms we so often create division, duality and opposition? Is this because as Meister Eckhart challenges: Why dost thou prate of God? Whatever thou sayest of him is untrue? Is it that Truth becomes my truth

The present living world does at times seem to offer the most amazing 'messages'. Astonishingly, as Lello writes these words he overhears a radio debate between a journalist and a novelist. The journalist says that truth can only be reported factually through good and efficient journalism. The novelist says that truth can never be conveyed through facts alone. Only a story can fully convey the truth. The perceiver of truth is not mentioned. But Lello, amazed with hair standing on end, takes this occurrence as a divine intervention: a sure indication that here is a fruitful area of exploration. Here is a theme for Millennium.

Indian Conference

Varanasi and Delhi, November 2011

For further details and latest news of these events please contact

Ronanld Lello, Project Co-ordinator, on 01303 813 140

or e-mail Ronald@millenniumtrust.co.uk